RE: getting volunteers involved

Don,
In our garden shed we had a sign for a while that said, "Your mom doesn't
garden here but she asked us to remind you to put away your tools properly
and volunteer." Some people decide to have unkempt houses. Community gardens
are like volunteer fire companies - it's everybody's job to put away the
hoses. If you're a senior and don't bend too good, there is always something
to do that doesn't require brawn, like organizing the shed, once again or
selling refreshments as a fundraiser.
Have a look at our website at http://www.clintoncommunitygarden.org with
buttons like "Become a Volunteer" ; "Rules and Regulations" ; "Fun Facts"
and "Plot Assignments"
The idea: community gardening is a privilege paid for with volunteerism.
Most community gardens have do-ers and non do-ers. We make a big fuss over
honoring volunteers at the Clinton Community Garden ( we have volunteer
brunches, an annual award - The John Carney Award ( named after a retired
English ex-seaman, ex-butler to Gloria Vanderbilt, master gardener and, this
is important, master of the subtle guilt trips that only a slight senior
citizen pushing a wheel barrow full of horse manure can give you.)
John Carney was the first recipient of the award ( we formally instuted it
the year after he died, but we gave him a plaque and stuff when he was in
the hospital - the garden didn't kill him, smoking did.) He loved
sunflowers, can't look at one without thinking about him. He is my hero.
John Carney had no shame when it came to the garden.
And as I'm getting older, balder and more shameless, I often resort to this
kinds of tactics:
Mise en scene - Clinton Community Garden on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Young,
unsuspecting, fit, gym built male on a blanket with his significant other.
Sweating Adam has been weeding for an hour and needs to move something heavy
or clean up some mess.
Adam: 'Scuse me lady. Can I borrow this guy's ( your) young gym body to move
this here pile of rocks/garbage/turn the compost/move some benches, please?
Never got no for an answer. Have no shame. The spirit of John Carney is
available to channel for all hard working community gardeners.
-----Original Message-----
From: Laura Berman [mailto:laura@foodshare.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2002 9:19 AM
To: ACGA listserve; Canadian Community Gardens
Cc: donald
Subject: [cg] getting volunteers involved
Hi again Everyone,
Can you please put on your thinking caps and help Don in Lethbridge, Alberta
(northern Canada). Please email him as well as the listserve because he
hasn't yet joined (but I'm sure he will).
-------------------
Laura
My name is Don McKay and I am the plot register of our community garden in
Lethbridge Alberta. I just became involved with the executive late last
fall . All volunteers . The garden society is around ten years old . We are
under the city of Lethbridge Parks Department . The City is trying to
reorganize our plots and have us in one standard location so we can be
better upkeep. We will have around 140 plots when finished. But the garden
right now is a real mess with weeds and no real cleanup.
So I am searching other community gardens for help . On how to get
members more involved on clean up.
So the city is going to help us and give us two years to improve. I'm behind
the City but some of the executive is not.
So there is my problem . Any help you can give me I would appreciate.
Happy Easter
Don Mckay
don.norma@shaw.ca
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______________________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org
To post an e-mail to the list: community_garden@mallorn.com
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden